Rhode Island's Running Man

The World Marathon Challenge is no simple feat: seven marathons on seven continents in just seven days. 183.4 miles of running. 58 hours of air travel. A few runs in the middle of the night. For the avid runner, even just one marathon will require months of physical preparation. So, why run a daily marathon for a week? For Nick Wishart of Pawtucket, the response would be: “It’s going to be a ball.”

This month, Nick will be the first Rhode Islander to compete in the annual adventure-seeking competition, beginning in Antarctica and touching down in each continent with a final run in Miami. Each day is likely to follow the same rhythm: “Get in, change, run, take a shower, relax a little bit, spend a few hours in town, eat and get back on the plane. The whole thing really is as much about learning how to recover so I can get back up and do it again the next day.”

Fewer than 60 runners have finished the race, now in its fourth year. “It’s a little overwhelming. Makes it a little more special,” Nick says. “It’s that appealing combination of the travel and the running. I’ve been a runner since high school, and then you throw in all these amazing cities. And I’m getting to take my wife.” The couple plans to extensively document their journey together on Nick’s website and through social media.

Nick and his wife will give back the love they’re receiving from family, friends and supporters by donating portions of his sponsorship funds to the RISPCA, March of Dimes and Rhode Island Community Food Bank.